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Psionics is the study and practice of using the mind to cause paranormal phenomena, including telekinesis, telepathy, and precognition. The term psi originated in 1942 and was later coined psionicist by John W. Campbell Jr. in 1956. Psionic powers are divided into passive psi (precognition and ESP) and active psi (telekinesis and transvection). The reality of psionics is debated, but many believe in the innate ability of the human mind to perform feats beyond the mundane.
Psionics is a broad field that encompasses the study and practice of using the mind to cause paranormal phenomena. It includes practices such as telekinesis, telepathy and precognition. Those who practice psionics are called psychics. Psionic powers are commonly incorporated into fictional works, especially role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons®.
The term psi originated in 1942 with BP Wiesner and Robert H. Thouless. They wanted a word that described both extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis. ESP is the ability to perceive things that are beyond the reach of the five senses, and psychokinesis is the ability to influence the physical world with the mind alone. Later, science fiction editor John W. Campbell Jr. coined the term psionicist in the February 1956 issue of his magazine, Astounding Science Fiction.
The word is a fusion of psi and electronics. Campbell wanted to communicate the concept of mental powers that function as reliably as electronic machines. In science fiction, psionic powers are generally treated almost as if they were magical and given little in-depth explanation. The mind, writers tend to say, simply has more power than the common man can imagine. Psionic powers work, just like a light bulb or other electronic device.
There are two distinct areas of psionic study and practice. Psi-gamma, also known as passive psi, involves mental acts such as precognition and ESP. It is considered passive because it does not cause any direct changes in the environment.
Psi-kappa, on the other hand, is commonly referred to as active psi. These are mental abilities, such as telekinesis and transvection, that manifest themselves directly in the physical world. While precognition purportedly grants the user the ability to sense events before they occur, it has no visible physical effect. Telekinesis, however, is said to allow the user to manipulate physical objects with only their mind, and the use of transvection is supposed to grant the power of levitation.
The reality of psionics is a hotly debated topic. Most scientists have placed the field entirely in the realm of the absurd, although there are many who speculate on the possibilities or truly believe in the innate ability of the human mind to perform feats far beyond the mundane. Self-proclaimed psychics often work to capitalize on their precognitive or clairvoyant abilities, real or imagined. Their claims often fail to come true, leading many people to strongly doubt the mind’s psionic abilities. These misgivings, however, are unlikely to dissuade the many who truly feel that the human mind has a great deal of untapped potential for doing great things.
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